St. Andrew's Church, located in Heckington, Lincolnshire, England, began construction around 1307 in a cruciform plan [1] and a decorated style. [2] The Anglican Parish church measures 164 feet long and 180 feet tall at the spire. [3] The church is made of Ancaster stone and features a clerestoried nave, aisles, and transepts. [3] It is perhaps best known for its Easter sepulchre, intricate window tracery, and exterior carvings. [3]
St. Andrew's Church in Heckington replaced a previous church that was present as early as the 1190s. [2]
The current church, dedicated to Saint Andrew, [2] was founded in the early 14th century by Richard de Potesgrave, a Chaplain to King Edward II and later to King Edward III. [4] [1] King Edward II also appointed Henry de Beaumont to oversee the Heckington area and the construction of the church alongside Potesgrave. [1] Potesgrave was the rector of St. Andrew's Church from 1307 to his death in the mid-late 1340s. [2]
In 1345, the Church was acquired by Bardney Abbey. [1]
Some features, like the North transept window, were replaced in the 1800s. [3]
As an example of the decorated style, St. Andrew's exterior is heavily decorated with gargoyles in many distinct forms. [5] These carvings depict a wide range of subjects, including people, mermaids, dogs, boars, demons, and angels. [2]
Theories suggest that these sculptural elements may satirize human sin or immorality. [5] Mermaids and other apparently part-human forms may be references to Greek mythology, warning against pride or lust. [2]
While much remains, some sculptural elements were defaced or destroyed over the centuries, likely by iconoclasts. [2]
The chancel of St. Andrew's holds the church's most popular and notable features, including the Easter sepulchre, sedilia, and the tomb of Richard de Potesgrave. [3]
The Easter sepulchre was made to hold a sacrament from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. [2] This was part of a religious ritual symbolizing the entombment and later resurrection of Christ. [6]
The sepulchre at Heckington is noted for its intricate sculptural detailing around a triangular arch opening. [3] Four seated soldiers separated by buttresses decorate the bottom of the sepulchre. [3] On either side of the opening and framed by shafts rising from the buttresses below are reliefs of the Three Marys and an angel. [3] Depicted above the slopes of the opening are two more angels, and at the peak is the risen Christ. [3]
The church has a triple sedilia, made to seat three members of the clergy. [2]
It is an inset area with buttress-shafts similar to the Easter sepulchre. [3] It is heavily decorated above the canopy [2] with six small reliefs. These depict Christ in Majesty and the Virgin Mary; with virgin martyrs alongside, St Katherine with wheel, and St Margaret, defeated dragon (demon) at her feet. [7] [3] Above each figure, sculpted angels hold crowns above their heads. A female acolyte is shown at each end. [3]
Richard de Potesgrave was buried in the church in an inlaid tomb. [3] The tomb features an effigy of Potesgrave in rich, draping garb. [8] The sculpted face is largely destroyed, but the rest of the figure remains in good condition. [8] A chalice found inside the tomb in 1800 is now on display above the effigy. [2]
While much has been replaced over the centuries, some medieval stained glass from the time of construction survives. [4] According to Dr. Jim Cheshire of the University of Lincoln, only about 5% of all stained glass from the medieval period has survived to the present day. [4]
While most windows depict religious scenes, some of the original stained glass is known to have featured the Beaumont family coat of arms. [1]
About 500 original pieces of stained glass were taken from the west window of St. Andrew's Church for restoration in 1946. [9] After decades of restoration efforts, the glass fragments were returned to St. Andrew's in January 2025. [9]
Window decoration varies throughout the church, mixing reticulated tracery with trefoils and quatrefoils. [3]
The church has been listed Grade 1 by Historic England since 1967. [10]
Media related to St Andrew, Heckington at Wikimedia Commons